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Originally Posted by Liquidzero
I'd argue that he does include foreshadowing. This isn't included in the anime, but in the novel during his fight with Misaka in the first novel, she mentions to him that she heard a rumor that her DNA was sampled to make clones, straight reference to 3rd novel.
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Oh yes. I noticed this and was impressed by it. But then I have always felt that the "Sisters Arc" was a much better thought out and planned plot. Probably the best out of all of them. It's even better including the aspects added in the Railgun manga. It's kind of frustrating since that one ac could have been half a season on it's own and it would have gone quite well.
Notice also that it has less of a sudden twist in the middle. Most of the twists occur early. Other later twists are smaller and flow better with the plot. In fact, so far I'd say the Sisters arc is the best plotline we've seen so far.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Liquidzero
As for why there's so much exposition. We're dealing with two very specialized topics of knowledge, science fiction and theological fiction. While they still are fictionalized versions, they're rooted in real life subject matter. It's difficult to make twists which the reader can obviously follow if he wants to make the science fiction actually have science and the theological fiction have somewhat correct references.
If anything it seems like the author wants people to actually take something away after reading the book and not have to delve into other articles to explain things like what is a railgun and how does it work? This is contrasted to Gundam and how there is science fiction to the Minovsky particles but it's not explained in the series.
I agree it would make the story telling a lot more cleaner, but i'm just guessing about the authors intentions.
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I don't disagree with exposition, just the way it's usually handled. Two problems arise, one is telling us a lot of things that we really don't need to know. The second, and more common problem, is that the exposition does not mix well with the fight scene.
Let me give you a few examples:
Misaka's explanation of how a Railgun works is an example of good exposition.
She gives just enough detail for the viewer to connect railguns to her electromagnetic power. It is also given in a case of her taunting Touma after catching him on a bridge, and then she demonstrates what a railgun does.
It fits with her personality and feeling of the moment (damaged pride), her relationship at that point with Touma (mysterious rival), and it has a "show me, don't tell me" emphasis at the end.
Compare this with the exposition (provided by Index) about obsidian spearhead as a replica of the lance of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli. In the light novels a huge amount of time is spent talking about the effects of the true lance of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, none of which matters to the plot. In the anime this is cut down to what we actually need to know, and thus the anime is an improvement over the light novel. (Although I kind of wish the anime had kept the dismantling effect instead of the explosions).
Or compare this to the recent arc in this episode. Why does Touma wait before touching people that have been hurt by the magic? The first time, okay, I can see him needing to be told, but why is this done again? It's so that some more exposition can be squeezed in. Most of which we don't really need. We as the viewers don't need yet to understand exactly how shorthand works, or how it interacts with Touma's right hand. That can be done with further reveals in the future.
Then during the fight with Oriana. All the talking throws off the flow of the fight. It has the characters just standing around talking to each other and explaining things- when that is not consistent with their situation. They should be fighting first, talk later at this point. Yes, I know this is a common problem with action shows, for example DBZ, Naruto, and so on. Guess what, I have higher standards.
It just doesn't go well with A Certain Magical Index. (Yes I know all about Touma's filibustering about morality- but at this point Touma is supposed to be serious, and so should give a shorter version of it). And frankly it wasn't needed. All the discussion that was needed between Oriana and Touma?
Oriana takes Tsuchimikado out of the fight. Touma tries to cancel it out with his right hand, and it doesn't work.
Touma: What did you do to him? How can I stop it?
Oriana: Insert innuendo combined with arrogant comment here
Touma attacks Oriana. Oriana forces him back.
Oriana: Give up, you are too weak I am too strong. (The typical villain one liner)
Touma: After what you did to Fukiyose? You're hurting innocent people! I'll never forgive you. (There, short and to the point, there was no need for further discussion of the different viewpoints, we already get it.)
Touma attacks. Oriana is surprised, her attempts to stop him are defeated by Touma's right hand. FALCON PUNCH! Touma runs back over to Tsuchimikado (the idiot, he should be taking Oriana's shorthand magic cards, but that's pretty typical Touma for you). Tsuchimikado still is not recovering. Touma looks up to see Oriana has recovered and grabed the package trying to flee. Touma attacks. Oriana throws the sign at Touma, and leaps to the top of a building using her magic.
Touma: Demands to know how to help Tsuchimikado (This fits with Touma's personality, he always cares about people ahead of the mission).
Oriana as she runs off: Silly boy, it will wear off soon.
Doesn't that flow better? Short lines. Not paragraphs that make you eyes glaze over.
Furthermore the revelation that the "Stab Sword" does not really exist. Like I said it should have been foreshadowed better. But instead of having the Anglican church archbishop info dump the sudden (and convenient) discovery that there is no Stab Sword and that it is actually Peter's Cross, have the characters talking about the lack of "Stab Sword" and wonder: "Have we been deceived? Maybe the Stab Sword is not the plan? Or is the Stab Sword hand off still the plan and Oriana was just a decoy?"
Leave it as mystery. The characters don't suddenly find out what is really happening. Instead they discover that what they thought was going on might not be going on. Now they need to spend some time figuring out what is really happening. That's drama.
That is how you handle a twist like this. It is slowly revealed. Not just a sudden discovery of truth handed to them by an outside source.
If they don't know what is going on, then Touma has to struggle with the question: should he let Index know so they can draw on her knowledge?
You then have an episode where our heroes are trying to figure out what the enemy's true plans are. They discover a few clues- and then they put it together that the plan is to use Peter's Cross.
That is how you reveal something like this. You get what I am saying? You see why I'm saying it's all poor execution and lack of polishing?
Artist
a see through!
I mean, you don't see cops stripping down perps or criminals in public just to make it harder for them to get away. Has anybody ever done that in anime (barring inadvertent actions, of course), or even in any fictional television show at all?
